The Shadow's Grip • bxb [COMPLETED]

-16-

Felix's P.O.V.

It seems like Varvara and Dimitri are already getting along just fine, speaking in russian and what not.

I grab his hand and go towards a shelf full of chips. I don't know what snacks he likes, so I'll let him choose whatever he wants.

"Just buy what you want. It's on me"

He looks at me and then at the shelf in front of me, like he's thinking hard about what he wants to buy. After some time, he grabs a bag of Takis and points at them.

"You're okay with these?"

"Yeah" I nod.

I look around the shelfes, that aren't many anyways, and my eyes land on the packages of ramen on the other side of the shop.

Without saying anything to Dimitri I walk towards them and grab some. I need to refill my stock at home since my aunt is probably too busy with work to go shopping right now.

"That's not healthy"

I'm startled when I hear Dimitri's voice from behind me but shrug at him.

"What am I supposed to do? I gotta eat"

"Cook something"

"I'm a disaster in the kitchen"

I turn around and face him. His hands are crossed in front of his chest and he's looking like a mother that is about to discipline me.

"Ask me to do it then. I like to cook"

"So I should... Hire you as my personal chef?" I smile at him but he seems serious.

Like what he just said before is serious and he means it. We're not even friends yet and he would cook for me? More than that, do I want to burden him with something like this? Ask him to come over whenever I'm hungry?

"Uh... Is that all you want to buy?"

"Yeah" he nods but doesn't say a word of what we were talking before.

Good. It might have been just a joke. Or was it? Anyway, he doesn't seem the kind of person to actually like cooking. Sitting a kitchen all day and trying out new recipes.

I look over at the cash register and see that Varvara is not there so I sigh and think of what I can say to get rid of this awkward silence.

"Varvara must be out for a smoke"

"Hm" he just nods and I almost want to smack my head against the nearest wall.

Did I ruin it? We were getting along pretty good before but I had to ruin it with my big mouth. Why is it so hard to maintain a conversation? I don't even know if he was serious about the cooking thing from before. I'm going crazy.

Besides building this friendship we also have The Shadow following us. And what happened today was very bad. Dimitri could have gotten seriously hurt and I didn't even knew what to do to help.

It was like I forgot everything and the only thing I knew was panic and fear.

But we have to work it out somehow. And it's better to have another person next to me that knows what I'm going through and that can help me one way or another.

Yes, we haven't known each other for long. But we're sticking together and surviving. We've to get to know each other slowly.

"There's a good bubble tea stand not far away from the shop... Want to go there after this?"

We're both walking towards the cash register while I can see Varvara finishing her smoke.

"Sure... I've never tried it before"

"You're gonna love it! It's delicious! And there are all types of flavours you can choose from. Personally I like coconut the best"

"If it's sweet I'll definitely like it"

"Oh? So you like sweet things... I'm not so fond of them"

"I love anything that has a sweet taste to it. Cookies. Muffins. Cake. You name it. I'll eat it all" he smiles and hands the chips over the Varvara.

I also give her the ramen packages and then look through my backpack to find the money I need to pay. Rather fast, I find it and hand it over to her.

She smiles at Dimitri again and says something in russian that I can't understand, making me feel a bit angry.

"You've just met but already have secrets!" I give Varvara an angry look, trying to make her feel guilty at least but she just laughs.

"Come back again soon! Oh and tell Hana I said hi!"

I'm the first to leave the shop, Dimitri following me while waving back at her with a wide smile. I also look back at her and stick my tongue out. Varvara rolls her eyes, still with a smile on her face.

"She seems fun to have at a party"

"Oh? You mean like the person that is already wasted before the party even started? Then you're right"

Dimitri laughs and lightly punches my shoulder. He opens the bag of Takis and takes some before handing them to me.

I also take some and take a deep breath.
It's been a while since I was able to walk at night freely like this. Even if I know that The Shadow is after the both of us, when I'm with Dimitri I feel strangely comforted.

I feel safer, and like it can't hurt me like this. He doesn't seem to be afraid at all and that's giving me a sense of security for sure. Maybe that's why I was panicking so hard before. To see the person that is always calm and composed, crumble like that in front of you, is terrifying.

He seems better now, even smiling and laughing with Varvara before, so I guess he recovers easily.

It doesn't take long and we're finally at the bubble tea stand I told him about.

"You're sure you want strawberry?" I ask and he nods looking at all the flavours that are on the display.

"You'll get coconut?"

"Yeah. One strawberry and one coconut please"

The man prepares the bubble tea carefully, and Dimitri is watching the whole process with curious eyes. It's almost funny to see how concentrated he is on it.

"Here"

I take both of them and hand one to Dimitri before paying.

Now we should go home. But I don't want to go home. It means I'll be alone again.

"Want to go to a nearby park?" I ask and hope it's not too much.

Maybe he's tired. Maybe he wants to go home. Maybe he wants to rest.

"Sure" he nods.

Or maybe he doesn't want to go home either. Maybe he doesn't want to be alone either.